Social Cooking thread

I am waiting for my air fryer to arrive. What reviews do people have who use them Probably should have asked this before ordering, but what the hay. my sister swears by hers.
 
Do you or anyone here make Butter Chicken with store bought sauce? if so do you/does anyone have a good recipe for making it more like the real deal?

I heard this can be achieved by adding cream.

A guy made one, one time at band camp and it was better than some Indian Restaurants (but he wasn't much for sharing his method).

When I googled this topic there is a wide range of recommends on which curry paste/sauce is better.
Yep. Hundreds of different recipes and I don't have the time or inclination to cook from scratch. And heaps of conflicting pieces about pastes, sauces, etc.
I currently use the Cassia At Home brand. I think their Makhani is basically Butter Chicken in terms of spice and taste.
I use that or Madewell. I like both. Just be careful getting Madewell's Sambal Chilli. The recipe on the bottle recommends only adding half the 500g bottle to whatever you're cooking. All their other bottles say to use the whole 500g and I didn't read the bottle before pouring the whole thing in. HOT AS! Lesson learned! :)
 
You have to laugh at men who think cooking (real cooking not snags on a hot plate and toast and beans in the morning) is effeminate.

Known a few (mostly Aussie) blokes over the years who crack jokes about me in the kitchen and how their missus knows who wears the pants.

Yeah whatever, best chefs in the world are largely blokes eh.

When I was dating, I used to have a cook together date plan - it is a great way to get to know a woman by engaging in a social activity, maybe having a few wines while prepping food together.

I would ask what their favorite thing to cook / make is - then invite them to go with it while I cook what I am good at (tended to be seafood, but not everyone eats it, so it is a good way to show you are interested in your dates likes/preferences and that you can actively listen instead of the usual).

Worked for me any who. Even if your date hates cooking you can order in and play the same getting to know you game - this time try challenging each other to find take out that neither may have tried before.

Now I am old and happily over the dating / relationships game, at least I can cook what I like and not have to live off frozen dinners LOL.
Interesting stereotype eh? I think it may be a generational thing that has (in my experience)flipped.
I do all the cooking in our house as the wife can barely boil the jug, from my experience it’s overwhelmingly the men (albeit of similar age group, the older generation tend to still have their wife cookin) in the relationship that tend to do the cooking.
 
I am waiting for my air fryer to arrive. What reviews do people have who use them Probably should have asked this before ordering, but what the hay. my sister swears by hers.
When I got one I thought it might be a dad but use mine regularly- can do all sorts from roast chickens and have even baked a cake in mine. One tip would be invest in one of those washable silicone liners- they can be a bitch to clean.
 
Do you or anyone here make Butter Chicken with store bought sauce? if so do you/does anyone have a good recipe for making it more like the real deal?

I heard this can be achieved by adding cream.

A guy made one, one time at band camp and it was better than some Indian Restaurants (but he wasn't much for sharing his method).

When I googled this topic there is a wide range of recommends on which curry paste/sauce is better.
If your local supermarket has the ethnic aisles try one of the Indian branded recipe based they usually need cooking cream
too. Also use Chicken thigh meat-the rest tend to dry out
 
i’ve been wanting to make bread for ages! i just haven’t had the time to get sorted and have a crack.

being italian, i fucking love good bread, i cannot get enough. but we generally have absolute rubbish bread here.

the new woolworths 30hr stone baked sourdough range at countdown are really good though. like REALLY good.

i’m sure it’ll cost just as much to make it as buy it made, and then there’s the clean up but all that’s half the fun isn’t it?
I make lots of bread, main recipe I like is the no-knead one, takes about a day but most of the time the dough is just sitting in the bowl. Comes out with a crunchy crust and soft on the inside.
 
Do you or anyone here make Butter Chicken with store bought sauce? if so do you/does anyone have a good recipe for making it more like the real deal?

I heard this can be achieved by adding cream.

A guy made one, one time at band camp and it was better than some Indian Restaurants (but he wasn't much for sharing his method).

When I googled this topic there is a wide range of recommends on which curry paste/sauce is better.
Most pre made curries are best bought in paste form. Also no ethnic cook would ever use a sauce that is used up in 1-2 goes. It’s simply watered down.

Mae Ploy has made the best red/green/massaman curry paste forever. Pretty sure that is still available in NZ.

As for butter chicken paste, look for an Indian store, or section in supermarket. Look for one that recommends using tablespoons instead of cups. That will be nice and strong. Water it down with canned tomatoes and cream during cooking.
 

This stuff is legit from memory. Always buy curry in these 1kg tubs.
IMG_8034.jpeg
 
3. Meat eaters: Don't get sucked into buying pre-diced meat. That's usually one of the tougher cuts. Watch the fat content of whatever you're buying. Buying 500g lamb is one thing, but when more than 10% of that of it is pure fat you have to cut off... Be aware that the evil corporate supermarket bastard butchery twat may have hidden the fat by placing the meat in the try fatless side up!
This is where I disagree. If you are on a diet, sure. Plus I dont eat processed meat so a bit healthier there, but fatty meat is the flavor. Mince at 15% fat (pork fat added) for bolognaise, +5 waygu, beek cheek, duck fat potatoes...


Please dont eat this is if you struggling with weight, or have heart issues... Adding excess calories in the form in dietary fats, on top of excess carbohydrates is the sole cause of obesity, and the leading cause of diet related heart attacks.
 
You making everything from Makhani to Molle paste from scratch ? Fk that your spice rack must be bigger than my kitchen. The ingredient list for just negro Molle is massive. Let alone the others. Same for Indian curries.
My spice rack is pretty huge to be fair, but a lot of spices like curry powder and garam masala are pre-blended spice mixes anyway.

For me to cook curry requires 3 bottles of red wine, Spotify and about 3 hours 🤣
 
My spice rack is pretty huge to be fair, but a lot of spices like curry powder and garam masala are pre-blended spice mixes anyway.

For me to cook curry requires 3 bottles of red wine, Spotify and about 3 hours 🤣
Sounds like my fish bin filleting regime, anything up to a dozen beers, a tonne of waving away flies, and some reliving of ''the hunt.
 
I watch a lot of fitness content. A lot of influences bark on about calories. Either how much they take in daily or recommend for people. Then they also discuss how the break down the macronutrients depending on their goals.

Not many of them discuss their meals, meal planning etc.

I have always felt if you want to get fit being interested in exercise is one part of the equation but you also need to learn about food and more importantly know how to cook. Have different meals you can prepare to keep things fresh so you can stick to your goals.
 
I watch a lot of fitness content. A lot of influences bark on about calories. Either how much they take in daily or recommend for people. Then they also discuss how the break down the macronutrients depending on their goals.

Not many of them discuss their meals, meal planning etc.

I have always felt if you want to get fit being interested in exercise is one part of the equation but you also need to learn about food and more importantly know how to cook. Have different meals you can prepare to keep things fresh so you can stick to your goals.
I bro I can eat the same breakfast everyday if I can help it.

Greek yoghurt + oat milk + hcp protein powder
Granola
Frozen red berries. Pref cherries.
 
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